Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
by bluestains
Summary: "It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas..." A series of one-shots about several of our favorite HP Characters, and how each one of them celebrates the Yuletide Season in their own special ways.
1. Puzzling Presents

**A/N:** Hi guys! I'm back! I know it's been a really long time since I've uploaded anything here in FF, and I'm really sorry for my inactivity. Life's been very hectic these days, and I've found little time to write any stories. But, since it's already December and Christmas is nearly upon us, I've decided to write this HP Christmas fic for you guys. It's a series of one-shots, so expect updates now and then!

I hope you guys will like this. Tell me your thoughts by clicking the blue button down there!

* * *

**Lily and James**

**"Puzzling Presents"**

_Have yourself a merry little Christmas_

_Let your heart be light_

_Next year all our troubles will be out of sight. . ._

_- _Frank Sinatra

* * *

_December 24, 1979. Godric's Hollow._

"You know, you still haven't told me what you want for Christmas, Lils." he whispers, stroking her red hair as she leans her head contentedly on his shoulder. They are both huddled in front of the fire, relishing in the warmth it emanates as the freezing snow falls in clumps outside their home. Frank Sinatra is playing softly in the background, and James thinks there is no place in the world he would rather be in now.

"Mhmm," Lily replies, and James sees her close her emerald eyes. "I told you, I don't want anything, James. I already have what I want."

Despite the darkly lit room the faint blush on her cheeks doesn't escape his vision, and he gives away a cheeky grin. Despite being married to Lily for almost two years now, James thinks he will never get over the fact that she is finally his wife; that she blushes for him as much as he does for her, that he is free to hold her close without fear of being pushed away, that she loves him as much as he loves her. He thinks to himself, as he observes the sleeping form of his wife, how he is the luckiest man in the world; to have married the girl he has fallen in love with ever since he was a boy, and to have changed her mind about him.

"James?"

He hears Lily call out his name, and he gives her a questioning look.

"What do you want for Christmas?" she whispers, and James senses her muscles immediately tense after she asks him the question. James wonders why, but decides to let it pass in the meantime.

"I don't know, Lils. I want that new Cleansweep broomstick down at Quality Quidditch Supplies, the new dungbombs Zonko's is manufacturing... also new glasses couldn't hurt, I suppose..." he trails off, and he laughs when he looks back at Lily and sees her previously closed eyes open and glaring back at him. "What?" he says innocently.

"You're such a prat, James," she complains, and she pinches him at the side. James slaps her hand and Lily elbows him back playfully.

"Ow, Lily!"

Lily laughs loudly and James finds himself falling in love with her laughter once more.

"But seriously though," she says quietly once she's calmed down. She removes her head from his shoulder and stares at him with her bright, green eyes. "Is there anything you'd like for Christmas? I know it's pretty last minute, but it's better than nothing."

"I don't want anything Lily," he says back, face equally serious. "I already have you; there's nothing else I would want in the world."

She smiles lovingly at him, and leans her head back at his shoulder. James wraps an arm around her waist and pulls her closer towards him. He closes his eyes and they stay like this for a while, silently listening to the crackle of the fire and the music before anybody else makes another noise.

"James?" she whispers once more, and he responds with a hum.

"What if I told you I already got you a present? I know you said you didn't want anything, but would you still accept it?"

James opens his eyes and looks down at her once more.

"Of course I will, Lily. Even if you gave me a mouse for Christmas I'd still accept it with all my heart."

She chuckles and leans herself away from his body. "I didn't get you a mouse, if that's what you're thinking," she says slowly and carefully, as if scared that James would get mad at what she had gotten him. "It's nothing really special, actually..."

"I told you, Lils, I don't care what you give me. As long as it's from you, it is already enough."

Lily blushes and slaps James's arm once more. "You should stop with the flattery, love. It's getting nauseating."

He raises his eyebrows. "Really? You seem to be enjoying it, judging from the color of your cheeks."

"James!"

"I'm kidding," he gathers her hands and plants a kiss on them each. "I love you."

"James, you're completely distracting me from my point. Stop that," she reprimands him and James shrugs his shoulders.

"Alright, alright. I'll stop. You were saying then?"

He sees her take a deep breath and James wonders again why she seems so tense. It can't be that bad, can it? "Okay," she exhales. "So, this present came in around two months ago, but I didn't know back then that you didn't want anything for Christmas... so I absolutely have no idea if you're going to like it or not. Shh, don't interrupt me," she tells him, and James closes his mouth and nods for her to go on. "The weird thing though, is that you can only have them by July, because the thing about presents like these is that they take long, if you know what I'm saying, and we can't speed the process up and-"

"Lils, you're rambling like a mad woman. What on earth are you talking about?" he says incredulously. "I don't seem to catch any of it."

"I'm talking about your present, James, I already told you a while ago, didn't I?" she snaps and James knits his eyebrows together in confusion.

"I know you are, but I can't seem to get the idea... You have the gift, but I can't get it until July... I already told you Lily, I don't care about how fancy the gift is; as long as it's from you it's already enough for me-"

Suddenly she stands up and puts her hands roughly on his shoulders. James sees her bright green eyes brimming with tears, and he doesn't get why. "Lily, are you alrig-?"

"I'm pregnant, James."

Her words strike him with so much force that James would've toppled off the couch, if not for Lily's hands. He couldn't believe it. Lily was... _pregnant_? The idea seemed so foreign and unbelievable to him, as if it's the first time he has ever entertained the idea of pregnancy. He looks down at her stomach, and he feels something tugging on his own gut. Somewhere, right at this moment, a fetus is floating in her stomach; forming arms, hands, fingers, and fingernails as its father tries to comprehend the fact that he and his wife had created something undoubtedly beautiful; that in the months to come her stomach will erupt and circle, and soon enough there will be another addition to their small family. He was going to be a father, Lily was going to be a mother, and they were going to have a child!

He is silent for a while, and Lily mistakes this to be a bad thing. She falls to the floor and rests her head at the foot of the couch, and soon enough she is trembling and hiccuping as the tears flow down her cheeks. "I'm sorry," she hiccups quietly. "I-I didn't think you'd be t-this disappointed, it's j-just that it happened when you a-ambushed me in the s-shower you prat, a-and oh-!"

He bends down and crushes his lips against hers, savoring the taste of her tongue and the salty tears that coat it as she continues to cry. He holds her tight against him, pulling his lips away from hers and kissing her hair while murmuring "shh, shh".

"Did I ever tell you how much I love you, Lily?' he tells her softly, and Lily giggles and tells him that she does.

"Well don't ever forget that, Potter," he says seriously, and proceeds to give her another kiss on her forehead. "And I love you more now that you've just told me we're going to have a baby together, Lils. We're going to be _parents_." he emphasizes the word, and he looks down at her seemingly flat stomach. "Somewhere in there, a baby is growing. _Our _baby, Lily. We created that. And there's just something beautiful with the fact that two, imperfect human beings whose only achievement was to love managed to create something so perfect."

She stares back at him with her watery eyes and James nearly laughs at her shocked expression.

"I know, I didn't think I'd be able to say something as smart as that in my entire lifetime, Lils. I think it's the parent thing going on."

She laughs and hugs him tightly, her hands grasping his neck and his hair as she pulls him closer to her. "You're not mad then?" she whispers fearfully, and James manages to shake his head. "Even if we're going to have this baby in the middle of a war?"

Realization dawns upon James, and he finally understands why Lily feels so frightened and hesitant about having the baby. They were living in dark and dangerous times, and raising a baby in such an environment isn't the wisest choice a parent could make. Plus the fact that he and Lily were young; so young and in love, and what did they know about raising kids? They were hardly ready, and their lives were constantly at risk, and he feels that Lily thinks it's unfair to have a child when, because of their jobs, any moment could be their last. Would they be so unkind as to risk the baby into being an orphan?

_No, _he thinks to himself. _All the more reason to fight hard against Voldemort, and to stay alive. _

He voices these thoughts out to Lily and James feels relieved when she relaxes against him, knowing that whatever happens, he will always be by her side. He kisses her one more time; soft and intoxicating, like a drug he would never get enough of.

"I love you," he whispers, and she leans back on his chest and buries her head in his warm neck.

"I love you too, James. Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas, Lily."


	2. Yours, in Secret

**Arthur and Molly**

**"Yours, in Secret"**

_I just want you for my own  
More than you could ever know  
Make my wish come true  
All I want for Christmas  
Is you_

_- _Mariah Carey

* * *

_December 23, 1965; Gryffindor Common Room_

One of the more overused proverbs during Christmas Time is that "it's not the gift, but the _thought _that counts." Or so seventeen-year old Arthur Weasley has been told, as he sits nervously amongst the rowdy circle of Gryffindors, clutching the small, gift-wrapped package in his hands.

It's two days 'till Christmas and the remaining sixth year Gryffindor boys and girls have decided to play a traditional and festive game called "Secret Santa". It was of Muggle origin; however, many possessed the knowledge of the game, and being the spirited and adventurous Gryffindors that they were, the Lions then decided to have a bit of fun. Their assignments had been given two weeks before December 23rd, which meant everybody had to have a gift ready by tonight. The Gryffindors then decided they'd gather everybody who took part of the game around, and they each have to reveal themselves to their assignments and present their gifts with a brief explanation of the reasons behind that gift. The idea had immediately excited everyone, most especially the girls, but safe to say that even from the beginning Arthur Weasley was not excited about Secret Santa. Firstly, he was as shy as a beaver, and he did not like being thrust into situations that involved a lot of talking and camaraderie. He was the type who preferred to sit only with a bunch of his friends, or completely alone. Arthur believes his shyness stemmed from physical insecurity: he was tall and gangly and freckled with bright orange hair, and everything about him just seemed to scream gawky and awkward. Because of this, talking in front of a bunch of people didn't also become his forte, and he mostly remained silent during conversations with people he didn't know. It was always a mystery to him, why the Sorting Hat had chosen him to be a Gryffindor when, given his introverted personality, he would've been better off a Hufflepuff.

Then again, all this was nothing compared to the ultimate reason why he didn't want to join the Secret Santa game. He was afraid of who he'd get. If he had gotten somebody whom he barely knew, getting that person a gift would be extremely hard, and he'd be forced to ask around about the likes and dislikes of his assignment. Of course, Arthur had been prepared two weeks ago to tell his friends that he had no interest in joining such a childish and time-consuming game, but something had definitely changed his mind and forced him to join a game or two of Secret Santa.

Two beautiful and exhilarating words: Molly Prewett.

Ah yes, despite Arthur's gawky and misanthropic behavior, he was secretly and hopelessly in love with one Molly Prewett. A petite young woman with bright red hair, a round face, and warm chocolate brown eyes, Arthur has had his eyes on her ever since the beginning of the year, when she had given her a small pat in the back for when his mother died. The gesture was warm and affectionate, and Arthur remembers appreciating her kindness and even coloring as she expresses her condolences. Something was different about her compared to the previous years, and from then on he began to notice things about her that he didn't seem to notice before, like the way she chews on her nails when she's nervous or the way her mouth is sometimes partly open when she listens attentively in class. He had always wanted to chat her up but has never found the courage to, and so Arthur felt that the sidelines was were he belongs. Plus, Molly was popular among the Gryffindor girls, and she attracted a lot of guys even from the other houses. When she went on a Hogsmeade date with the Ravenclaw Quidditch Captain Marcus King, Arthur had then decided that she was completely and utterly out of his league. Still, sometimes he can't help but think about her, and wonder whether she'd ever get to notice somebody like him.

So when Arthur heard from his friend, Ainsley Thomas, that Molly was going to be part of the Secret Santa game, he couldn't help but feel obliged to join in too.

And so that's how Arthur finds himself sitting in between Thomas and Jackie Finch, nervously waiting for when it was his turn to reveal himself to his assignment. Because ironically enough, he had gotten that one person who initially convinced him to join the ruddy game at the start.

Molly Prewett.

Arthur reddens even as he thinks of her name, and his eyes immediately seek her mane of red hair. He sees her sitting with her friends Olivia and Hestia, and when she catches his eyes she gives her a small wave. He turns an even deeper shade of red and instead turns to focus his eyes on his socks instead. Oh, how he dreads for his turn to come! He had gotten her something simple yet unique, although maybe just a tad bit Muggle-y for her taste. When he had seen the toy perched innocently and beautifully on top of the Muggle display counter he had immediately felt that that was what he would like to give her; a piece of his world all wrapped and compressed into one delicate and silver toy plane.

The question though is whether or not Molly would like it, and if she'd even want a piece of his dreadfully boring world.

He inwardly slaps himself for being so foolish and in love, and even entertains the idea of letting everybody know that he'd have to give Molly her gift tomorrow because he left it when...

"Weasley! You're up next!"

Arthur freezes, and stares horrified at Jackie Finch, who grins and nudges him with her sharp elbow. "Go on and get your butt off the floor, Arthur! Tell us your Secret Santa!" she laughs evilly, and Arthur gives her a glare. He stands up and looks around the room, seeing many familiar faces of friends and classmates he has grown accustomed to over the years. He gulps.

"Erm, h-hullo there," he starts awkwardly, making it a point to stare at his housemates' foreheads and not at their eyes. "So, Secret Santa huh? I guess I now have to reveal who I'd gotten?"

"Yeah mate," Thomas says, grinning. "And while you're at it, you give that person your gift and tell us why you'd chosen it."

"And hurry along too, a lot of us also want to get this over with!"

Arthur turns as red as a tomato and gives a shaky nod. He takes a deep breath and tells himself to be a man, before he heads towards the direction of Molly Prewett, eyes determinedly staring at the wall above her.

"Hi M-Molly. I, erm, I didn't get you a really fancy gift for Christmas... it's all quite simple actually. But erm, I hope you like it, and I hope you don't get offended by it in any, er, way." He hands the parcel over to her and Molly says a small 'thank you' before ripping the wrappings off. In it was a medium-sized box, around the size of a crayon box, and inside the box is one of the prettiest things she has ever since in her life.

The toy airplane was made out of silver, and engraved on its surface were the letters of her name. The plane itself was small, only as big as her palm, but they were heavier than she expected them to be. She brings it close to her face, examining the intricate details and patters when all of a sudden the blades situated on top of the plane began to whiz and whir, and suddenly the plane was flying, hovering itself a few inches away from her face.

"It's beautiful," she breathes, and Arthur feels his body and head feel lighter. All of a sudden his nervousness vanished, and he can barely contain his happiness. "Where did you get it?"

"In a Muggle toy shop my parents used to bring me to. I bought the plane there and I, er, did the rest. I just thought you might like it, s'all. Do _you_ like it?" He looks at her, shyly.

"Of course I do!" she says happily, and she gives him a huge grin. She gives him a one-arm hug, and Arthur feels as if his insides might explode with joy. "Thank you so much, Arthur! I never knew you enjoyed Muggle artifacts. That's nice to know." Her eyes gleam brightly as she says this and he turns an even deeper shade of red. Seeing that he doesn't need to stay in her area any longer, he goes back to his seat beside Thomas and Finch, who both give him a clap in the back. "Nicely done, Weasley," Jackie Finch tells him, and she gives him a wink. But he doesn't pay attention anymore, even as the game around him continues on. Even as they all go up to bed that night, Arthur still couldn't stop smiling and thinking about the way the evening has turned out. Snuggly tucked in his duvet he turns his head and stares at the moon from his dormitory window. He gives a content smile.

"Merry Christmas, Molly," he whispers softly. He then closes the curtains around his four-poster bed, where the darkness continues to hide his burning cheeks.


End file.
